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AIR LOG-K FOR -0AISSONS.

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` t UNITED STATES PATENT Ormes.

WILLIAM C. BARR, OF eIERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

AIR-LOCK FOR cAlssoNs.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 514,843, dated February 13, 1894. Applicationiiled .Tune 26,1893. Serial No. 478,864. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. BARR, of Jersey City, in the countyof Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Locks for Caissons; and I do hereby declare the followingl to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Thisinvention contemplatescertainnewand useful improvements in air-locks for caissons and the like where the work is carried on under pressure of compressed air, and the object of the invention is to permit of the ready raising and lowering of a bucket or vessel with but a minimum waste or escape of compressed air.

The invention consists, primarily, of an air-lock having upper and lower gates, and pistons movable in cylinders and operated by the air-pressure in the caisson, said pistons being connected to said gates.

The invention also comprises an air tight cylinder or chamber leading from the caisson or the like and in which a bucket gr vessel is designed to be raised and lowered, and two gates or cut-offs, one at the upper, outer end, of said cylinder and the other a short distance from said end, the space between said gates or cutoffs being about equal to the length of the bucket 'or vessel, said gates or cut-os being operated invsuch manner that one will be opened when the other is closed.

The invention further comprises acylinder having two sets of gatesl with an intermediate -space for the bucket or vessel, said gates being each formed in two parts or sections and capable of being moved in opposite directions preferably by pistons under the control of compressed air.

The invention also comprises the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, substantially as hereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:-Figure 1 is-a vertical -sectional view of my improved lock. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view on the line :zz-x, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view.

Referring t0 the drawings, A designates a casing or cylinder which leads from acaisson or the like (not shown) and passed through openings in upper and lower boards or platforms a, a. To ythe upper end of this cylinder is connected the lower cylindrical portion a2 of a'bed-plate or casting which is provided with a central hole or opening a3 corresponding to the cylinder A. In the ends of this bed-plate or casting,'which is preferably oblong, are boxings b, in which are rigidly secured cylinders B, B in which pistons b', are located, the rods h2 of said pistons being extended through the inner ends of said cylinders. To these cylinders are connected the ends of two pipes C, C', which open at their ends into ports or passage-ways d, d', said ports or passage-Ways leading, respectively, tothe outer and inner ends of the piston cylinders. Hence the pipe C at one end opens into the port or passage-way d of cylinder B, and at its other end into the port d of cylinder B while pipe C leads from port or passage-way d of cylinder B to the port CZ of cylinder B. A supply and exhaust valve D is connected to the pipes C, C', and has connected thereto a pipe d2 which leads from a caisson or air receiver. The valve D is so constructed that when two ofV its ports are open to admit air through the pipes, say to port d', two more ports of said valve are opened at the same time to permit exhaust from ports dof the cylinders. The supply and exhaust occur simultaneously.

E is the upper gate or cut-off which is designed to closekand open the central opening a3 of bed-plate A. This gate is composed of two parts or sections e, e', designed to move in guide-ways e2 beneath the bed-plate, and to depending lugs or short arms e3 of these gate-sections are connected the outer ends of the piston rods b2. When the gate is closed the meeting edges of the sections fit air-tight, a strip of packing c4 being placed in a longitudinal groove in the edge of one section.

F is a stufng box through which is passed a cable f for eiiectin-g the raising and lower ing of a bucket or vessel f which is designed to travel in the cylinder A. n

G designates a lower gate or cut-off located in cylinder A at a distance from the upper gate suiicient to accommodate the bucket or vessel, that is, to permit the latter to occupy the space between the two gates even though both are closed. This gate is, in briet, the counterpart of the upper gate E. The bedplate g for the lower gate is provided with a central hole or opening g and upper and lower circular portions g2, g3, to which sections of the cylinder A are connected by angle-rin gs g4. The gate-sections are operated by pistons g5 movable in cylinder Q6 mounted in the bedplate similarly to those of the upper bed-plate and gate. Two sets of pipes ll, Il, are connected to these cylinders the same as pipes C, C', and are provided with a valve lz, said pipes being immediately above the second, lower platform a.V

It will be understood that my improved lock is intended for use where hoisting or eX- cavating is necessary in pneumatic works, such as sinking caissons for bridge-piers and the like, and where it is necessary to workunder continuous air pressure. It is essential that the air be prevented as much as possible from escaping, especially during the removal of matter, and by means of myinvention such escape is reduced to a minimum.

1n operation one of the gates is closed when the other is opened. When the bucket or vessel is first placed in the cylinder to be lowered the lower gate is closed and the upper gate opened. After the bucket is placed between the gates the upper gate is tirmly closed by the pressure on the pistons and then after air has been admitted to the bucket-inclosing space through suitable branch pipes (not shown) suiiicient to equalize the pressure the lower gate is opened permitting the lowering of the bucket. Vhen the latter is tilled it is elevated by means of its suspending rope or cable and after it passes the lower gate the latter is firmly closed so as to preventthe escape ,of any greater amount of air than that confined between the two gates. The conned air in the bucket-inclosing space is then permitted to escape through a suitable outlet pipe (not shown) and then the upper gate is opened and the bucket removed and emptied.

The advantages of my invention are apparent and it will be specially observed that by making the gates in sections they can be readily and easily operated and they will occupy but a minimum amount of space for their movement. The arrangement of the pipes opening into the cylinders is such that as the air is admitted to move the piston in one direction the cylinder exhausts from its other end.

An air lock constructed as herein-described is positive in its operation; is simple in construction, and not liable to readily get out of order or be deranged.

I claim as my invention-- l. An air-lock for caissons, comprising upper and lower gates, pistons connected to said gates, and operating in cylinders and connections between said cylinders and the air confining cylinder of the caisson whereby said pistons and gates are operated by the air pressure in the caisson, substantially as set forth.

2. An air lock, comprising a cylinder and upper and lower horizontally movable gates for opening and closing the passage-way in said cylinder, and fiuid pressure-controlled devices, substantially as herein-described for moving said gates horizontally out of said passage-way, as set forth.

3. An air-lock, comprising a cylinder, a gate or gates formed in two parts or sections, and fluid pressure-controlled devices for simultaneously moving said parts or sections horizontally in opposite directions out of the passage-way of said cylinder, substantially as set forth.

4. An air lock, comprising a cylinder, and a gate formed in two parts or sections, and iiuid pressure controlled devices connected to each of said parts or sections for simultaneously moving the latter horizontally in opposite directions, substantially as set forth. 5. An air-lock comprising a cylinder, upper and lower gates for opening and closing the passage-way in said cylinder, and pistons together with their cylinders for operating said gates, substantially as set forth.

6. An air-lock comprising a cylinder, a

bed-plate or casting having a hole or opening, a gate formed in two parts or sections, cylinders supported by said plate or casting and pistons movable in said cylinders and having their rods connected to said parts or sections, substantially as set forth. 7. An air-lock comprising a gate, a piston having its rod connected to said gate, a cylinder for said piston having two ports or passage-ways and pipes opening into said ports or passage-ways, substantially as set forth.

\ 8. An air-lock, comprising a gate formed in two parts or sections, pistons having their rods connected to said parts or sections, cylinders for said pistons having two ports or passage-ways, pipes opening at their ends into said ports or passage-ways, and a valve connected to said pipes, substantially as set forth. l

9. The herein-described improved air-lockl comprising the cylinder, the upper and lower gates formed each in two parts or sections, pistons having their rods connected to said parts or sections, cylinders for said pistons having two ports or passage-ways, two sets of pipes opening into said ports or passage-ways, zftndhvalves for said pipes, substantially as set ort l0. The herein-described improved air-lock comprising the cylinder, the upper and lower bed-plates having central holes or openings,

IIO

the gatesforxned in sections, and having de# In testimony whereof I have signed this pending arms, the cylinders supported by said specification in the presence of two subscribbed-plates having ports or passage-Ways, the ing Witnesses.

pistons movable in said cylinders and hav-` WILLIAM C. BARR. 5 ing their rods connected to said depending Witnesses:

arms, and pipes opening into said ports 0r DOUGALD B. HOCKBURN,

passage-ways, substantially as set forth. WM. H. SEEBEGK. 

